Chicory, Blue Cheese, Pecan and Cranberry Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 225 g (8 oz) Cashel Blue cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1 head chicory
  • a selection of salad leaves
  • 2 tbsp dried cranberries, chopped very roughly
  • 12 pecans

Dressing

  • 3 tbsp hazelnut or walnut oil
  • 11⁄2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1⁄4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • salt and black pepper to season

Method

  1. Step 1
    • Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a jam jar.
    • Toast the pecans on a baking tray at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for 5–10 minutes — don’t leave them as they burn easily.
    • When cool, chop or crumble them roughly.
    • Trim the chicory and separate the leaves.
    • Combine the cheese, nuts and cranberries in a bowl and toss with a little dressing.
  2. Step 2
    • To assemble salad, choose a good mix of small salad leaves.
    • Add some chicory and dressing.
    • Add the cheese, nuts and cranberries.


NOTE

For canapés, the cheese, nut and cranberry mixture can be sparingly spooned into the small chicory leaves.